利用G-TRACE技术追踪果蝇后肠肠细胞谱系的发育模式

【目的】果蝇是完全变态昆虫,蛹期经历了幼虫组织解离和成虫组织重塑的过程。本研究旨在利用细胞谱系追踪方法 G-TRACE(Gal4 technique for real-time and clonal expression)这一新的遗传学技术,检测果蝇幼虫后肠肠细胞在蛹期发育过程中是否发生细胞迁移。【方法】采用黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster engrailed-Gal4(en-Gal4)品系和G-TRACE品系杂交,并引入tub-gal80ts控制Gal4的开启时间,分别在果蝇幼虫期和蛹期进行细胞谱系追踪。幼虫期追踪:亲代产卵后将卵置于30℃培养,3龄中期转入18℃培养,成虫羽化1 d内进行检测。蛹期追踪:亲代产卵后将卵置于18℃培养,在蛹期不同发育阶段转入30℃培养,待虫体羽化后检测成虫肠道。【结果】当在果蝇幼虫期启动细胞谱系追踪,在蛹期停止追踪,发现中肠靠近中后肠边界处以及马氏管存在绿色肠细胞。而当在果蝇幼虫期关闭细胞谱系追踪,在蛹期开始追踪,则发现虫体中肠各部位及马氏管分布着绿色肠细胞。en基因在果蝇蛹期肠道中表达。【结论】结果表明,在果蝇蛹形成过程中,后肠的部分肠细胞迁移至中肠和马氏管,参与中肠和马氏管的重塑。本研究对于探索昆虫在变态发育过程中成虫器官的重塑机制具有重要的意义。     

本期重点推介

<正>细胞谱系分析技术G-TRACE(Gal4 technique for realtime and clonal expression)是近年来新开发的一种技术,可用来追踪基因在组织生长发育过程中的表达模式和区域的变化,精确地追踪细胞的分化情况。果蝇是经典的模式生物,但其肠道不同细胞谱系的分化关系尚缺乏深入研究。山西大学应用生物学研究所张徐波等采用黑腹果蝇Drosophila     

细胞谱系示踪技术

细胞谱系示踪(cell lineage tracing)是指利用各种方式标记细胞,并对包括其后代所有细胞的增殖、分化以及迁移等活动进行追踪观察。自20世纪以来,谱系示踪技术为研究器官发育、组织损伤修复以及单细胞的分化命运提供了重要的手段。近些年,随着基因工程技术的飞速发展,细胞谱系示踪技术也有所突破,尤其是诱导性重组酶Cre/loxp系统的应用,极大地拓宽了细胞谱系示踪技术的应用范围。本文将结合细胞谱系示踪技术在多种研究中的应用,对该技术的原理、特点以及最新进展做一综述。     

一种微管-荧光融合蛋白嵌合标记斑马鱼运动神经元系统的建立

运动神经元是一类支配运动行为的重要神经元。传统的荧光蛋白标记的转基因斑马鱼品系(用于活体成像分析运动神经元形态发生)存在胞体密集、突触交错、不好区分单个神经元等不足。为了优化活体成像分析运动神经元,本研究旨在建立一种微管-荧光融合蛋白嵌合标记斑马鱼运动神经元系统。首先通过Gateway克隆技术将运动神经元表达基因mnx1启动子序列与绿色荧光蛋白-α-Tubulin融合蛋白序列构建到含有Tol2转座位点的表达载体中,然后将该质粒和Tol2 mRNA同时注射到4～8细胞期斑马鱼受精卵中,在72 hpf (hours post fertilization)进行共聚焦显微成像分析。结果显示,该系统中绿色荧光融合蛋白在3种类型运动神经元中表达,从而实现单个运动神经元嵌合标记。本研究进一步探索注射剂量与嵌合标记神经元数量以及分布频率的关系,并确定了重组蛋白的合适剂量(15 ng)。此外,本研究在该模型上验证了insm1a和kif15表达下调导致的运动神经元异常发育。这些结果表明我们成功建立了一种微管-荧光融合蛋白嵌合标记斑马鱼运动神经元系统,为探究运动神经元的发育和形态发生提供了一个直观和快速的模...     

利用芸薹属植物嵌合体对组织与器官细胞层起源的研究

运用两种同时具备表型和分子谱系标记的芸薹属植物(榨菜和紫甘蓝)合成的种间平周嵌合体材料对植物的组织、器官的细胞层谱系进行了追踪分析。研究结果发现:植物的茎、叶、花等器官一般由茎尖分生组织的L1、L2、L3三层谱系细胞共同发育而成,但在不同组织器官中各层的贡献量不同;L1和L2层共同参与了叶缘的发育;不定根由L3层单独发育而成;分子标记分析显示花粉起源于L2层,但有性杂交实验也发现了少量L1层起源的花粉。该文为研究植物组织与器官的细胞层起源提供了新方法。     

果蝇卵巢滤泡细胞谱系发育中的功能性microRNA筛查

在果蝇发育过程中,micro RNA(mi RNA)作为负调控因子起着重要的作用。该文旨在研究micro RNA在果蝇卵巢滤泡细胞谱系中的功能,该细胞谱系因易于体内遗传操作而成为研究细胞命运决定与细胞迁移机制的良好模型。为了确认此过程中的功能性mi RNA,作者利用UAS/GAL4二元表达系统对31个果蝇mi RNA进行了表型筛选。结果表明,若干mi RNA可以在卵子发生过程中引起多种严重表型。过表达与敲减mi R-7均能阻断边界细胞迁移。mi R-1、mi R-124和mi R-263b则在茎细胞诱导、边界细胞迁移或卵壳图式中发挥功能。结果表明,该文所用基于UAS/GAL4的方法可用于确认mi RNA的功能。     

黑腹果蝇单胚培养技术的建立

过硬单胚培养十一项特殊的技术,运用此技术可以从果蝇单个原肠胚（同一基因型）中提取细胞进行体外培养,科观察到各种细胞的分化过程,从而能研究导致发生异常或致死突变的机制。通过反复摸索实验,我们在本实验室的条件下,建立了黑腹果蝇（D. melanogaster）单胚培养技术,并对野生型（Canton special, CS.）果蝇的单胚细胞进行体外培养,观察到了各种细胞,如肌肉细胞、神经细胞、脂肪细胞、以及成虫盘等的分化及其发生规律性,为今后研究突变奠定了基础。实验过程中,我们采用了载玻片法和培养皿法。两种方法各有特点及利弊,本文一并进行讨论。Abstract:We can culture the cells of single gastrula (the gene type of cells is same) in vitro,we now have cstablished the technique of single embryo culture in Drosophila.We have seen the differentiated state of myocytes, neurocytes,hemocyte cells,epithelical cells and imagical disk by this technique.     

组培增殖方式对网纹草嵌合性状稳定性的影响

以一种具有良好的谱系细胞标记的周缘嵌合体网纹草(Fittonia albivenis)为研究材料,对不同增殖方式下其组培苗嵌合性状的稳定性进行了观察分析。结果表明,以茎段诱导腋芽增殖时网纹草的稳定性很高,但以丛生芽增殖时其嵌合性状发生了变异,变异率为21.32%;叶片组织解剖学观察结果显示,母本嵌合体茎尖分生组织中红和绿2种细胞谱系的细胞层排布在丛生芽再生过程中发生了改变,这可能是导致新类型嵌合体产生的原因。研究结果不仅对植物嵌合体种苗的组培生产具有重要的指导意义,而且为嵌合体的种质创新工作提供了新方法。     

体内跟踪单个冲经细胞及其突触分布

近日,科学家开发了一项能够在成体水平小鼠脑区的复杂神经网络系统中特异性标记单个神经元细胞及其神经突触分布形式的技术。该项技术利用转基因方法在小鼠不同脑区的神经元细胞可控地表达不同的荧光蛋白和突触囊泡蛋白,应用不同分子标记对神经元细胞及其突触进行特异性标记,能够在单个神经元细胞水平上提供详尽的三维神经突触分布信息,     

应用小动物活体成像追踪观察EGFP标记的间充质干细胞

为探讨干细胞移植治疗过程中干细胞在体内的存活和迁移能力,利用非细胞损伤性的EGFP(enhanced green fl uorescence protein)标记间充质干细胞进行了实验研究。该研究用电穿孔方法将加强的绿色荧光蛋白表达质粒p CMV-EGFP(cytomegalovirus-EGFP plasmid)转染细胞产生具有EGFP标记的牙髓干细胞、皮肤成纤维细胞(skin fi broblast cells,SFCs)和脐带间充质干细胞。将EGFP标记的脐带间充质干细胞注射到裸鼠皮下,用小动物活体成像系统观察了EGFP标记细胞在体内移植后细胞存活能力和荧光强度随时间的变化情况。结果表明,电穿孔转染能够在体外产生高效表达EGFP的标记细胞,EGFP在牙髓干细胞、SFCs和脐带间充质干细胞中的表达率分别为80%、85%和80%。通过小动物活体成像系统检测表明,EGFP标记的脐带间充质干细胞注射到裸鼠皮下后EGFP荧光表达在7 d后逐渐下降,但免疫组化分析表明,移植细胞可存活6个月以上。该研究提示,EGFP标记的干细胞可用于体内追踪其存活、迁移及分化,为探讨干细胞移植治疗作用提供了实验证据。     

A protocol for mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker (MARCM) in Drosophila

Mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker (MARCM) is a genetic technique used in Drosophila to label single cells or multiple cells sharing a single progenitor. Labeled homozygous mutant cells can be generated in an otherwise unlabeled heterozygous animal. Mutant or wild-type labeled cells can also be made to express one or more transgenes. Major applications of MARCM include (i) lineage analysis, (ii) investigating gene function in single or small populations of cells and (iii) neuronal circuit tracing. Our laboratory uses MARCM primarily to label and genetically manipulate neurons; however, this protocol can be adapted to any cell of interest. The protocol involves generating two fly stocks with the necessary genetic elements for MARCM analysis and subsequently generating MARCM clones. Labeled clones can be followed in live and fixed tissues for high-resolution analysis of wild-type or genetically manipulated cells.NOTE: In the PDF version of this article initially published online, the first "FRT" and the "Mutation" labels in Figure 1b were transposed. In both the PDF and HTML versions, "mutant" was omitted from the label on the right, which should read "Labeled homozygous mutant daughter cell". The figure has been corrected in all versions of the article.     

Power tools for gene expression and clonal analysis in Drosophila

The development of two-component expression systems in Drosophila melanogaster, one of the most powerful genetic models, has allowed the precise manipulation of gene function in specific cell populations. These expression systems, in combination with site-specific recombination approaches, have also led to the development of new methods for clonal lineage analysis. We present a hands-on user guide to the techniques and approaches that have greatly increased resolution of genetic analysis in the fly, with a special focus on their application for lineage analysis. Our intention is to provide guidance and suggestions regarding which genetic tools are most suitable for addressing different developmental questions.     

A Complete Developmental Sequence of a Drosophila Neuronal Lineage as Revealed by Twin-Spot MARCM

Drosophila brains contain numerous neurons that form complex circuits. These neurons are derived in stereotyped patterns from a fixed number of progenitors, called neuroblasts, and identifying individual neurons made by a neuroblast facilitates the reconstruction of neural circuits. An improved MARCM (mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker) technique, called twin-spot MARCM, allows one to label the sister clones derived from a common progenitor simultaneously in different colors. It enables identification of every single neuron in an extended neuronal lineage based on the order of neuron birth. Here we report the first example, to our knowledge, of complete lineage analysis among neurons derived from a common neuroblast that relay olfactory information from the antennal lobe (AL) to higher brain centers. By identifying the sequentially derived neurons, we found that the neuroblast serially makes 40 types of AL projection neurons (PNs). During embryogenesis, one PN with multi-glomerular innervation and 18 uniglomerular PNs targeting 17 glomeruli of the adult AL are born. Many more PNs of 22 additional types, including four types of polyglomerular PNs, derive after the neuroblast resumes dividing in early larvae. Although different offspring are generated in a rather arbitrary sequence, the birth order strictly dictates the fate of each post-mitotic neuron, including the fate of programmed cell death. Notably, the embryonic progenitor has an altered temporal identity following each self-renewing asymmetric cell division. After larval hatching, the same progenitor produces multiple neurons for each cell type, but the number of neurons for each type is tightly regulated. These observations substantiate the origin-dependent specification of neuron types. Sequencing neuronal lineages will not only unravel how a complex brain develops but also permit systematic identification of neuron types for detailed structure and function analysis of the brain.     

Applications of mRNA injections for analyzing cell lineage and asymmetric cell divisions during segmentation in the leech Helobdella robusta

Synthetic mRNAs can be injected to achieve transient gene expression even for 'non-model' organisms in which genetic approaches are not feasible. Here, we have used this technique to express proteins that can serve as lineage tracers or reporters of cellular events in embryos of the glossiphoniid leech Helobdella robusta (phylum Annelida). As representatives of the proposed super-phylum Lophotrochozoa, glossiphoniid leeches are of interest for developmental and evolutionary comparisons. Their embryos are suitable for microinjection, but no genetic approaches are currently available. We have injected segmentation stem cells (teloblasts) with mRNAs encoding nuclear localized green fluorescent protein (nGFP) and its spectral variants, and have used tandem injections of nGFP mRNA followed by antisense morpholino oligomer (AS MO), to label single blast cell clones. These techniques permit high resolution cell lineage tracing in living embryos. We have applied them to the primary neurogenic (N) lineage, in which alternate segmental founder cells (nf and ns blast cells) contribute distinct sets of progeny to the segmental ganglia. The nf and ns blast cell clones exhibit strikingly different cell division patterns: the increase in cell number within the nf clone is roughly linear, while that in the ns clone is almost exponential. To analyze spindle dynamics in the asymmetric divisions of individual blast cells, we have injected teloblasts with mRNA encoding a tau::GFP fusion protein. Our results show that the asymmetric divisions of n blast cells result from a posterior shift of both the spindle within the cell and the midbody within the mitotic spindle, with differential regulation of these processes between nf and ns.     

A protocol for dissecting Drosophila melanogaster brains for live imaging or immunostaining

This protocol describes a basic method for dissection and immunofluorescence staining of the Drosophila brain at various developmental stages. The Drosophila brain has become increasingly useful for studies of neuronal wiring and morphogenesis in combination with techniques such as the 'mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker' (MARCM) system, where single neurons can be followed in live and fixed tissues for high-resolution analysis of wild-type or genetically manipulated cells. Such high-resolution anatomical study of the brain is also important in characterizing the organization of neural circuits using genetic tools such as GAL4 enhancer trap lines, as Drosophila has been intensively used for studying the neural basis of behavior. Advantages of fluorescence immunostaining include compatibility with multicolor labeling and confocal or multiphoton imaging. This brain dissection and immunofluorescence staining protocol requires approximately 2 to 6 d to complete.     

Clonal analysis of Drosophila antennal lobe neurons: diverse neuronal architectures in the lateral neuroblast lineage

The antennal lobe (AL) is the primary structure in the Drosophila brain that relays odor information from the antennae to higher brain centers. The characterization of uniglomerular projection neurons (PNs) and some local interneurons has facilitated our understanding of olfaction; however, many other AL neurons remain unidentified. Because neuron types are mostly specified by lineage and temporal origins, we use the MARCM techniques with a set of enhancer-trap GAL4 lines to perform systematical lineage analysis to characterize neuron morphologies, lineage origin and birth timing in the three AL neuron lineages that contain GAL4-GH146-positive PNs: anterodorsal, lateral and ventral lineages. The results show that the anterodorsal lineage is composed of pure uniglomerular PNs that project through the inner antennocerebral tract. The ventral lineage produces uniglomerular and multiglomerular PNs that project through the middle antennocerebral tract. The lateral lineage generates multiple types of neurons, including uniglomeurlar PNs, diverse atypical PNs, various types of AL local interneurons and the neurons that make no connection within the ALs. Specific neuron types in all three lineages are produced in specific time windows, although multiple neuron types in the lateral lineage are made simultaneously. These systematic cell lineage analyses have not only filled gaps in the olfactory map, but have also exemplified additional strategies used in the brain to increase neuronal diversity.     

A single cell approach to problems of cell lineage and commitment during embryogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster

The mechanisms leading to the commitment of a cell to a particular fate or to restrictions in its developmental potencies represent a problem of central importance in developmental biology. Both at the genetic and at the molecular level, studies addressing this topic using the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster have advanced substantially, whereas, at the cellular level, experimental techniques have been most successfully applied to organisms composed of relatively large and accessible cells. The combined application of the different approaches to one system should improve our understanding of the process of commitment as a whole. Recently, a method has been devised to study cell lineage in Drosophila embryos at the single cell level. This method has been used to analyse the lineages, as well as the state of commitment of single cell progenitors from various ectodermal, mesodermal and endodermal anlagen and of the pole cells. The results obtained from a clonal analysis of wild-type larval structures are discussed in this review.     

A Behavioral Assay for Mechanosensation of MARCM-based Clones in Drosophila melanogaster

Because of the structural and functional homology to the hair cells of the mammalian inner ear, the neurons that innervate the Drosophila external sense organs provide an excellent model system for the study of mechanosensation. This protocol describes a simple touch behavior in fruit flies which can be used to identify mutations that interfere with mechanosensation. The tactile stimulation of a macrochaete bristle on the thorax of flies elicits a grooming reflex from either the first or third leg. Mutations that interfere with mechanotransduction (such as NOMPC), or with other aspects of the reflex arc, can inhibit the grooming response. A traditional screen of adult behaviors would have missed mutants that have essential roles during development. Instead, this protocol combines the touch screen with mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker (MARCM) to allow for only limited regions of homozygous mutant cells to be generated and marked by the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP). By testing MARCM clones for abnormal behavioral responses, it is possible to screen a collection of lethal p-element mutations to search for new genes involved in mechanosensation that would have been missed by more traditional methods.     

基因组学技术在生物多样性保护研究中的应用

在分子生物学、细胞生物学、微生物学、遗传学等学科的推动下, 生物多样性研究从仅关注宏观表型的博物学, 迅速演化为涵盖生态系统、物种和遗传多样性等多个维度的综合性生命科学。组学技术, 尤其是DNA测序技术的更新和发展, 使获取DNA序列所需的成本大幅下降, 促进了近年来其在生物多样性研究中取得的一系列令人瞩目成就。本文将从物种水平的遗传多样性和群落水平的物种多样性两个层面总结和介绍与DNA相关的组学技术在生物多样性研究中的一些创新和应用。其中, 物种水平主要是总结单一个体的基因组和单物种多个体在时空多个维度上的群体遗传研究; 而群落水平的物种多样性层面主要总结现有的分子鉴定技术(metabarcoding, eDNA, iDNA等), 以及上述新技术在群落多样性评估、旗舰保护物种监测以及物种间相互作用关系等研究中的应用。